Water-craft propeller.



Patented Apr. 21,- 191 1 a 1 9 R1 2 m w RMN wi T .Fn S L m HT L WP P A 2 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

. r Inventor Attorneys Witnesses I. s. ORR.

WATER CRAFT PROPELLER.

APPLICATION FILED NOV. 12, 1913.

1,094,007. Patented Apr. 21, 1911 2 SHEETS-SHEET 2 fin "Z9 z& f

m ,7 III/1 VIA A Witnesses Inventor y I r I Attorneys ITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JOHN S. ORR, 0F AUGUSTA, KENTUCKY.

WATER-CRAFT PROPELLER.

0 all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JOHN S. ORR, a citizen of the United States, residing at Augusta, in the county of Bracken and State of Kentucky, have invented a new and useful W'ater-Craft Propeller, of which the following is a specification.

The present invention appertains generally to boat or water craft propellers and aims to provide a novel and improvedappliance of that character.

It is the object of the present invention, in the first instance, to provide a propeller embodying propeller blades or paddles mounted for rectilinear or reciprocatory motion, and adapted to be actuated directly from the piston rod of the engine, whereby the use of the ordinary rotatory screw propeller or paddle wheel is eliminated, as well as the resultant vibrations or pulsations due to the use of prevailing screw propellers and Water wheels, as well as other associate disadvantages.

As a more specific object, the present invention contemplates the provision of an apparatus of the nature indicated, which shall not only permit the propeller blades or buckets to be actuated directly from the piston rod or its equivalent, to move in rectilinear paths, but which shall also serve to create a thrust or propulsion effort of maXi mum degree, thus effecting a maximum speed and economy.

As a further object, the present invention aims to provide a propelling mechanism em bodying one or more reciprocatory slides or carriers actuated by the piston rod, or the like, there being preferably two of the slides or carriers moving in opposition -to each other, or in opposite directions, in combination with vertically reciprocatory propeller blades or paddles carried by the slides or carriers, and means for properly raising and lowering the same, as the slides or carriers are reciprocated, in order that the water craft will be properly propelled.

A still further object of the present invention is to provide a propelling mechanism of the nature indicated, embodying such a unique arrangement of propeller blades or paddles and actuating means therefor, as to permit of certain blades remaining idle,

while the others are in operation to propel the craft in one direction, and whereby the idle blades may be brought into operation when the operating blades are brought to Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed November 12, 1913.

Patented Apr. 21, 1914.

Serial No. 800,622.

idle position, to propel the craft in the opposite direction, without in any manner interfering with the operative connection between the slides or carriers and the engine.

The present invention also aims to provide an apparatus of the character specified, which shall possess such a unique assemblage of component parts, whereby the structure W1ll be comparatively simple, practical and inexpensive, and whereby the utility of the device will be enhanced.

With the foregoing general objects outlined, and with other objects in view, which will be apparent as the nature of the invention is better understood, the present inven tion resides in the combination and arrangement of parts and in the details of construction hereinafter described and claimed, it being understood that changes in the precise embodiment of the invention herein disclosed, can be made within the scope of what is claimed, without departing from the spirit of the invention.

The invention has been illustrated in its preferred embodiment in the accompanying drawings, wherein Figure l is a longitudinal central section of the improved propelling mechanism, portions being broken away. Fig. 2 is a plan View of the mechanism, portions being broken away. Figs. 3 and 45 are cross sectional views taken on the lines 38 and 44 of Fig. 1', respectively. Fig. 5 is a perspective view of one of the propeller blades or paddles, Fig. 6 is a horizontal section of one slide or carrier, taken on the line 66 of Fig. 1. Fig. 7 is a reduced side elevation of the mechanism, illustrating the slides or carriers completely separated, portions being broken away.

In referring specifically to the drawings, it is to be understood, at the outset, that the several details are more or less arbitrarily illustrated, and are to be taken as typical, inasmuch as the structural details may be altered or refined by the mechanic in reducing the invention to a practical operative mechanism.

The present invention embodies a pair of suitable slides or carriers 1, which are mounted in any convenient manner between suitable side rails or guides 2, which are to extend longitudinally of the water craft, and which may be firmly or rigidly attached to the hull or framework of the water craft at any suitable point, and in any convenient manner. Thus, the slides or carriers 1 are mounted for rectilinear or reciprocatory movements between the rails or slideways 2, the rails being disposed immediately above the surface of the water, or above the water level. Each of the slides or carriers 1 embodies the side plates 3 which are provided with the rail or guide engaging means, and which extend above the top of the slide, the upper ends of the side plates or members 3 being connected by a yoke or cross piece 4, forming an arch or bridge with the side plates.

A plunger 5 is slidable longitudinally through each slide or carrier 1, with its ends protruding, and upon the centralor intermediate portion of the plunger 5, is secured a suitable stop 6 working within acentral opening or chamber 7 provided in the slide 1. The sides of the stop 6 are preferably padded, to avoid a hammering noise, when the stop impinges against the walls of the opening or space 7, the opening or space 7 being of such a width, as to permit the plunger 5 to have slight reciprocatory movements with respect to the slide. The two plungers 5 are preferably, although not necessarily, co-axial or in alinement, and are actuated by the piston rod 8, of the steam or other engine, or prime mover (not illustrated), the end of the piston rod or reciprocatory actuating member 8 being coupled or attached to the outer end of one of the plungers 5, or the right hand plunger as illustrated in Fig. 1; Thus, the piston rod 8 acts directly upon the right hand plunger 5, the other or left hand plunger 5 being operatively connected to the right hand slide or carrier, as will presently appear.

A cable, chain, or other flexible element 9 is attached to the outer end or extremity of the left hand plunger 5, as seen in Fig. l, and is trained over apulley or guide 10 located suit-ably in rear of the slides or carriers, it being understood that the rails or slideways 2 may be extended as far as necessary, or practically twice the length of the stroke of the piston rod 8. From t-he pulley 10, the cable or flexible element 9 extends through suitable apertures 11 formed in the left hand slide 1 and the corresponding stop 6,.and the cable or flexible element 9 is then attached to the inner face of the right hand slide 1, as at 12. A similar cable or flexible element 13 is attached to the outer face of the right hand slide 1, as at 14, and is trained over a pulley or guide 15 mounted at the forward end of the rails or track 2, the cable 13 being passed through suitable apertures 16 formed in the right hand slide and collar 6, and then being attached to the inner or forward end of the plunger 5, as at 17. It will thus be evident, that when the piston rod moves rearwardly, or to the left,

as seen in Fig. 1, the stop (3 of the right hand plunger 5 in engaging or seating against the respective or rear wall of the opening 7 of the right hand slide 1, will move the said slide rearwardly, the front and rear slides being illustrated as at the ends of their rearward and forward strokes, respectively, as seen in Fig. l. The forward slide 1 being moved rearwardly, will create a pull or tensile strain upon the cable 18, which will move the rear or left hand plunger 5 forwardly, to correspondingly move the rear 01 left hand slide. Conversely, after the piston rod has reached the end of its rearward stroke, the same in moving forwardly, will correspondingly draw or pull the forward plunger 5 with it, to correspondingly move the forward slide 1. The forward movement of the forward slide 1, will create a. draft upon the cable 9, and consequently, the rear plunger 5 will be drawn rearwardly, to correspondingly move the rear slide. From the foregoing, it will be apparent that the two slides move in opposition, or have alternate reciprocatory motions fore and aft.

Each of the slides or carriers 1 is equipped with a pair of propeller blades or paddles 18, each of which has an upstanding shank 19 slidable through an upright or vertical passage or slideway 20 provided in the slide.

The respective blades or buckets 18 of each slide are disposed at the fore and. aft portions thereof, or at the respective sides of the opening or recess 7. Each of the blade shanks 19 is provided with a longitudinal or vertical slot or opening 21, through which the respective plunger 5 passes, as well as the respective cable 9 or 13. The slots 21 permit of the vertical movement or reciprocation of the propeller blades whereby the blades may be raised out of or projected into the underlying water. Ordinarily, when the blades are raised, they will be emersed. Each of the propeller blades 18 is also preferably provided with the upstanding stems 22 at the side edges of the shank 19, the stems 22 being slidable through suitable bores or openings provided in the slide, and coiled wire compression springs 23 being disposed between the stems 22 and the yoke 4: to yieldingly press the respective blade downward, whereby when the blade is liberated or released, the same will be sharply or quickly depressed to propelling position.

The limited reciprocatory movement of the plungers 5 with respect to the respective slides, is employed for actuating the propeller blades and to this end, an upright lever 2 1 is fulcrumed to the fore and aft face of each slide, and has its lower end pivoted to the respective end portion of the corre sponding plunger 5, the upper ends of each pair of levers A being preferably connected by a link 25. A cord or flexible element 26 is adjustably attached to each lever 24, and is trained over a pulley or guide 27 carried by the yoke 4, the inner or lower end of the cord or flexible element 26 being attached to the upper end of the respective blade shank 19. The cords or flexible elements 26 are adjustably connected to the upper arms of the several levers 24:, whereby the strokes or reciprocatory movements of the blades may be adjusted or regulated as desired. The construction and operation of the blade actuating means is such, that when the levers 24 are swung in one direction, by the movement of the respective plunger 5 with respect to the slide, one of the cords or flexible elements 26 will be drawn away from the yoke 4;, to raise the respective blade 18, while the other cord or flexible element 26 will be slackened, to permit the other blade to descend, if the same is free.

Locking means is carried by each slide 1 for alternately locking and releasing the propeller blades of the said slide, and to this end, a pair of levers 28 are fulcrumed upon the slide, adjoining the respective blade shanks 19, one end of each lever 28 being provided with a catch or latch 29 which is adapted to be projected through the upper end of the slot or opening 21 of the adjoining blade shank. The other ends or arms of the levers 28 are connected by a link 30, whereby the levers 28 may be operated simultaneously to liberate one of the catches 29 from the respective blade shank, while the other catch 29 is projected into engagement with the other blade shank. The two catch levers 28 of each slide are actuated through the medium of a hand lever 31 fulcrumed through one side plate 3 of the slide, and having its inner end or arm operatively connected to the link 30, whereby the outer end or arm of the hand lever 31 may be shifted to properly manipulate the catch levers 28, as will be apparent.

From the foregoing, taken in connection with the drawing, the structural details will be readily understood by the skilled mechanic, in order that the invention may be altered or refined in its details in reduction to practice.

In operation, it being assumed that the apparatus or mechanism has been properly applied to a boat or water craft, and supposing the boat or water craft is to be propelled forwardly, the hand levers 31 are set whereby the fore catch 29 of each slide will be projected into the upper end of the slot 21 of the fore blade shank 19, to maintain the fore propeller blade or bucket 18 of each slide in raised or inoperative position. With the fore blades thus locked in inoperative position, the aft blades of the slides will be free. Now, as the piston rod or driving member 8 is reciprocated, the slides or carriers will be actuated in opposite directions and the free blades thereof will be alternately raised and lowered to inoperative and operative positions, as presently described. Sup posing the piston rod 8 to have reached the end of its rearward stroke, as seen in Fig. 1, the piston rod 8 in moving forwardly, would first pull the forward plunger 5 with it, until the stop 6 engaged the front wall of the opening 7 of the forward slide, and in the meantime, the levers 24: of the forward slide would be swung with the said plunger 5, in order that the rearward movement of the upper arm of the rear lever 24: of the forward slide would draw the respective cord 26 with it, and would consequently raise the rear blade of the forward slide to inoperative position, so that the forward movement of the forward slide would be an idle one. As soon as the forward slide 1 starts to move forwardly, the rear plunger 5 will be moved rearwardly, with respect to the rear slide 1, until the corresponding stop 6 impinges against the rear wall of the respective opening 7, which will result in the rear slide 1 moving rearwardly with the rear plunger 5. During the interval that the rear plunger 5 moves rearwardly with respect to the rear slide, the corresponding levers 24: will be swung forwardly, that is, their upper arms will be swung forwardly, in order that the cord or flexible element 26 of the rearmost propeller blade will be slackened, to permit the said blade to drop to operative 0r propelling position. Then, when the forward and rear slides are moved forwardly and rearwardly, respectively, the depressed propeller blade of the rear slide will engage the water to give a forward thrust or propulsion effort to the water craft, as will be evident. When the piston rod has reached the end of its forward stroke, the slides or carriers and parts carried thereby will be positioned as illustrated in Fig. 7. Then, when the piston rod starts to move rearwardly, the forward plunger 5 will be slid rearwardly with respect to its carrier 1, to the position indicated in Fig. 1, and the levers 24C of the forward slide will be swung forwardly, as seen in the said figure, which will result in the rear blade 18 of the forward slide being depressed to operative position. Then, as the forward slide is moved rearwardly with the forward plunger 5, the cable or flexible element '13 will draw or pull the rear plunger 5 forwardly, to swing the levers 24 of the rear slide rearwardly, as seen in Fig. 1, whereby the rear cord 26 of the rear slide will be drawn upwardly to raise the rear blade to inoperative position. As the forward slide continues its rearward movement, the depressed propeller blade thereof engaging the water will impart a forward thrust or propulsion effort to the boat or water craft, while the rearward slide moves idly forward.

From the foregoing, it will be evident that during the forward motion of the respective slides or carriers, the respective propeller blades will be in inoperative or idle positions, while during the rearward movement of the slides, the respective blades will be dropped to operative or propelling positions. A continuous propelling or propulsion effort is thus accomplished, the sweep or stroke of the slides and accompanying propeller blades being equal to that of the piston rod, whereby a direct push or thrust is obtained. The propeller is particularly useful in shoal or shallow water, inasmuch as the propeller blades need not be immersed in the water to any great depth. Nith the present mechanism, a quick or rapid motion of the propeller blades is obtainable, the construction and operation of the mechanism being such as to provide for economy in power, or fuel consumption, as well as avoiding the vibrations and other injurious effects produced by the employment of the ordinary screw propeller or paddle wheel. The present propelling mechanism is smooth in its operation, whereby the craft maybe given a smooth gliding and uniform motion.

Should it be desired to propel the boat or water craft rearwardly, or backwardly, the hand levers 31 are swung forwardly, to release the forward blade of each slide, and to lock the aft blade of each slide in raised or inoperative position. Then, as the slides are moved forwardly, the free blades will be depressed to operative or propelling position, while when the slides are moved rearwardly, the blades will be raised to idle or inoperative positions, resulting in imparting a rearward or backward movement to the water craft. The operation is precisely reverse to the operation of the mechanism as above described, for propelling the water craft forwardly, and it is not deemed necessary to describe the operation of the mechanism at length, for propelling the boat or water craft rearwardly.

The slides or carriers may be of any suitable width, which is also true of the propeller blades or paddles, the twin or companion blades of each slide or carrier having their shanks so confined within the passages or openings 20 as to permit the proper vertical play of the propeller blades, without the liability of the shanks of the blades binding. The downward movement of the propeller blades is limited by the slots 21 of the blade shanks, inasmuch as the upper ends of the slots 21 will engage the plungers 5 when the blades are moved downwardly to the limit.

The movements of the plungers or stems 5 relative to the slides or carriers is comparatively slight, in order that only a small fraction of the piston rod stroke will be utilized for moving the propeller blades into and out of operative positions, so as not to cononly a single slide or carrier may be employed, that blade or bucket which is free to move, being raised and lowered as the slide is reciprocated. It will also be evident that a single propeller blade only need be carried by each slide or carrier, when the boat or water craft is to be propelled in one direction only, thus dispensing with the reversible operation. However, with the two sets of propeller blades as described and illustrated, the respective blades may be quickly locked and unlocked whereby the motion of the boat or craft may be reversed, without interfering with the operative relation of the slides or carriers with the piston rod or driving element.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed as new is 1. In a propelling mechanism, a reciprocatory carrier, actuating means therefor having limited movement relatir e thereto, a vertically movable propeller blade carried by the carrier, and means operatively connecting the propeller blade and actuating means for raising and lowering the propeller blade when the actuating means moves relative to the carrier.

2. In a propelling mechanism, a reciprocatory carrier, a plunger carried thereby and having limited reciprocatory movement relative thereto, a vertically movable propeller blade carried by the carrier, and an operative connection between the plunger and propeller blade for raising and lowering the propeller blade when the plunger is moved relative to the carrier.

3. In a propelling mechanism, a reciprocatory carrier, actuating means therefor having limited movement relative thereto, a vertically movable propeller blade carried by the carrier, and a lever operatively connected to the actuating means and to the propeller blade for raising and lowering the propeller blade when the actuating means is moved relative to the carrier.

4. In a propelling mechanism, a reciprocatory carrier, a plunger carried thereby and having limited movement relative thereto, a lever fulcrumed to the carrier and operatively connected to the plunger, and means operatively connecting the lever and propeller blade for raising and lowering the same.

5. In a propelling mechanism, a reciprocatory carrier, a plunger carried thereby and having limited movement relative thereto, a

vertically movable propeller blade carried by the carrier, a lever fulcrumed to the carrier and operatively connected to the plunger, and a flexible element connecting the lever and propeller blade for raising and lowering the same.

6. In a propelling mechanism, a reciprocatory carrier having a recess, a plunger slidable through the carrier, a stop secured to the plunge 1 and working within the said recess, a vertically movable propeller blade carried by the carrier, and means operatively connecting the plunger and propeller blade for raising and lowering the same.

7. In a propelling mechanism, a reciprocatory carrier having a recess, a plunger slidable through the carrier, a stop secured to the plunger and working Within the said recess, a propeller blade having a shank slidable vertically through the carrier, the shank having a slot through which the plunger passes, and operative means connecting the plunger and shank for raising and lowering the propeller blade.

8. In a propelling mechanism, a reciprocatory carrier, actuating means therefor, twin vertically movable propeller blades carried by the carrier, operative means connecting the actuating means and propeller blades for alternately raising and lowering them, and locking means carried by the carrier and alternately engageable with the propeller blades to retain them in inoperative position.

9. In a propelling mechanism, a reciprocatory carrier, actuating means therefor havlng limited movements relatlve thereto, tw1n vertically movable propeller blades carried by the carrier, flexible operative means connecting the actuating means and each propeller blade, and locking means carried by the carrier and alternately engageablewith the propeller blades to lock them in inoperative position.

10. In a propelling mechanism, a reciprocatory carrier, a plunger carried thereby and having limited sliding movement relative thereto, twin propeller blades having shanks slidable vertically through the carrier, oscillatory levers fulcrumed to the carrier and operatively connected to the plunger, and flexible means connecting the levers and blade shanks.

11. In a propelling mechanism, a reciprocatory carrier, actuating means therefor having limited movement relative thereto, twin vertically movable propeller blades carried by the carrier, means operatively connecting the actuating means and propeller blades for alternately raising and lowering them, catches cooperable with the propeller blades for locking them in raised positions, and actuating means connecting the catches for simultaneously moving them to alternately engage the propeller blades.

12. In a propelling mechanism, a reciprocatory carrier, actuating means therefor having limited movement relative thereto, twin vertically movable propeller blades carried by the carrier, flexible operative means connecting the actuating means and propeller blades for alternately raising and lowering them, a pair of pivoted catches carried by the carrier and cooperable with the respective propeller blades, a link connecting the catches, and a hand lever carried by the carrier and operatively connected to the said link.

13. In a propelling mechanism, a pair of reciprocatory carriers, actuating means for one carrier, means operatively connecting the two carriers, for moving the other carrier opposite to the first mentioned carrier, a vertically movable propeller blade carried by each carrier, and operative means connecting each propeller blade and one of the two first mentioned means for raising and lowering the propeller blade.

14:- In a propelling mechanism, a pair of reciprocatory carriers, actuating means for one carrier and having limited movement relative thereto, actuating means operatively connecting the said carrier and the other carrier, for actuating the last mentioned carrier opposite to the first mentioned carrier, and having limited movement relative to the second mentioned carrier, a vertically movable propeller blade carried by each carrier, and operative means connecting each propeller blade with the respective aforesaid means for alternately raising and lowering the propeller blade as the carrier is reciprocated.

15. In a propelling mechanism, a pair of carriers, a plunger carried by each carrier and having limited movement relative thereto, means operatively connecting one carrier and the plunger of the other carrier for moving the carriers in opposite directions, a vertically movable propeller blade carried by each carrier, and means operatively connecting each propeller blade and the respective plunger for alternately raising and lowering the propeller blade as the carrier is reciprocated.

16. In a propelling mechanism, a pair of reciprocatory carriers, twin vertically movable propeller blades carried by each carrier, actuating means for one carrier, means operably connecting the said carrier and the other carrier to actuate the second mentioned carrier opposite to the first mentioned able propeller blades carried by each carrier, actuating means for one carrier having limitedmovemen't relative thereto, operative means connecting the said carrier and the other carrier, to move the second mentioned carrier opposite to the first mentioned carrier, and having limited movement relative to the second mentioned carrier, flexible means operatively connectingthe propeller blades of each carrier and one of the two first mentioned means for alternately raising and lowering the propeller blades, and lock ing'means carried by each carrier for retaining one of the propeller blades in inoperative position.

18. In a propelling mechanism, a guide, a pair of carriers slidably carried thereby, a plunger slidable through each carrier and having limited movement relative thereto, the plunger of one carrier being adapted for connection with .a reciprocatory driving member, pulleys disposed at the ends of the said guide, flexible elements attached to the saidlcarrier, trained over the pulleys and attached to the plunger of the other carrier, a vertically movable propeller blade carried by each carrier, and operative means connecting each propeller blade and the corresponding plunger for raising and lowering the propeller blade.

19. In a propelling mechanism, a track, a pair of slides mounted for reciprocation thereon, a plunger slidable through each slide and having limited movement relative thereto, one plunger being adapted for connection with a reciproeatory driving member, pulleys disposed at the ends of the track, flexible elements attached to the slide having the aforesaid plunger, trained over the pulleys, and attached to the other plunger, twin vertically movable propeller blades carried by each slide, flexible means operatively connecting the propeller blades of each slide and the corresponding plunger for alternately raising and lowering them, and locking means carried by each slide for retaining one of the propeller blades in inoperative position.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own, I have hereto aflixed my signature in the presence of two witnesses.

JOHN S. ORR.

lVitnesses EDWIN C. TOLEMAN, LEO G. ONEILL.

copiesof this patent may be obtained for five, cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. G. 

